2017 AGENDA The Nonantum Resort and The Colony Hotel
Monday, October 23rd – Nonantum Resort
11:00am – Registration Opens in the Lobby
1:00pm – 1:15pm – Official Welcome – Ballroom
CEO Steve Hewins and Summit Co-Sponsors, Cross Employee Benefits and Northeast Delta Dental, greet attendees.

1:15pm – 2:30pm Keynote Presentation
Be Inspired with Christina Miranda, Co-Founder Redpoint Marketing – Inspiration can transform stagnancy into brilliance, challenges into opportunities, and ordinary into extraordinary. Learn how our associations are uniting to lead and succeed in today’s challenging hospitality sector. (Q&A to follow) Click here to learn more about Christina and Redpoint Marketing.

2:45pm – 4:30pm – Opening Sessions

Select the one that is right for you!
Marketing for Independent Hotels with Holly Zoba, Senior VP, Signature Worldwide – Explore effective strategies using the right tools to optimize your hospitality plan. Learn to craft messages that lend drama to your inn or hotel’s story and expand your customer base. Click here to learn more about Holly. Ballroom
Cutting Edge Trends and Best Practices for Independent Restaurants with Hudson Riehle, Senior VP, National Restaurant Association – Topics include consumer demand, food preparation, technology, human resources, marketing and operations. Finishing up with a Restaurant Round Table – Free flowing discussion of statewide hospitality issues and how the Association should be involved. Click here to learn more about Hudson. 95 Ocean Room

4:30pm to 5:30pm Free Time

5:30pm – 7:30pm Trade Show Happy Hour at The Colony Hotel
Mingle with leading hospitality suppliers and network as talented bartenders from Southern Maine shake up the latest cocktails in our Mixology Mix-off. Vote for the best as you encounter new products and services. Heavy hors d’oeuvres, come hungry! Grand Dining Room

7:30pm Music from The Windmills on The Colony’s veranda. Dessert and Coffee in the Marine Room

Tuesday, October 24th – Colony Hotel
Registration will be moved to the Colony.

6:30am to 7:30am – Rise and Shine on the Ocean, The Colony – Beachfront
Join us for morning fitness on the beach.

7:30am to 9:00am State of the Industry Breakfast, The Colony – Grand Dining Room
Steve Hewins and Greg Dugal discuss our past successful year, future trends and share the direction our organization will take in 2018.

9:15am to 10:15am – Social Media Panel – Carriage House
Social media is changing the way we eat and travel. Hotels and restaurants that embrace free visual marketing tools like Instagram gain business. Mary Strain of the Migis Hotel Group, Don Littlefield of Maine Brew Bus and Dream Local Digital founder Shannon Kinney share best social practices. (Q&A to follow) Moderated by Kathleen Pierce

10:30am to 11:30am – Dialing into Digital Sales – Carriage House
A panel of representatives: Lyndsey Bjork of Booking.com, Ashley Audet of Expedia and Peter Gosdanian, District Director Northeast for Open Table discuss the ins and outs of this here-to-stay online reality. (Q&A to follow)

12:00 – 2:00pm – Lunch and Keynote Presentation with Kevin Hancock – Grand Dining Room
Maine Innkeepers Annual Meeting – Jean Ginn Marvin, Association Chairperson conducts the brief formalities.
Hospitality Workforce Training – Derek Langhauser, President, Maine Community College System.
Kevin Hancock, president of one of Maine’s oldest family run businesses, Hancock Lumber, shares a transformational personal story guaranteed to empower. Not for Sale: Finding Center in the Land of Crazy Horse, includes signed copy of his book. To learn more about Kevin and his book “Not for Sale” click here.

2:30pm to 3:30pm – Labor Pains in Maine – Carriage House
A panel of hospitality experts will discuss how to outsmart staffing issues, master retention and handle audits. The panel will include Allyson Cavaretta – Director of Sales & Marketing of the Meadowmere Resort, Laurel McClead of Drummond Woodsum’s Labor and Employment Group, and Garret Oswald – Director of the State Workforce Investment Board, Maine Department of Labor. Moderated by Greg Dugal
3:45pm to 4:45pm – Cannabis: From Regulation to Tourism – Carriage House
The newly emerging marijuana industry could be a boon to hoteliers and restaurateurs. Maine’s top lawyers on the subject, Ted Kelleher and Hannah King of Drummond Woodsum will lead a panel discussion along with State Sen. Roger Katz and Lynn Tillotson, CEO of Visit Portland. Moderated by Greg Dugal
5:30pm to 7:00pm Gala Cocktail Reception – The Nonantum
Join us for a rousing start to an evening of celebration!

7:00pm – 8:30pm MEIA AND MERA Dinner – The Nonantum
A feast fit for Maine’s leading hoteliers and restaurateurs! Featuring the music of Jim Ciampi and a live auction, and culminating with our Awards presentation.

8:30pm Celebrate under the stars into the night! More big surprises and details to follow.

Two celebratory nights of live music, a mixology mix-off, dinner & trade show held in two of Maine’s classic waterfront resorts.

For registration questions contact: [email protected]

Deals for new members apply, contact: [email protected]

For room reservations call 1-888-205-1555 for the Nonantum or 207-967-3331 for the Colony.